Share Your Printer On Mac: The Easiest Method Ever!

in Summaries
6 minutes on read

Sharing a printer on a macOS device enhances collaboration and efficiency within a small office environment. Apple's Bonjour protocol streamlines the discovery of network services, making it simple to locate and connect to available printers. Understanding the role of System Preferences is crucial for managing sharing options and ensuring seamless connectivity. This article elucidates how to share printer on mac using the simplest and most effective methods, empowering users to easily configure printer sharing for improved productivity.

How To Add A Printer On Mac /// Wireless and Wired

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How to Share Your Printer on Mac: The Easiest Method Ever!

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to share a printer connected to your Mac with other users on your network. Sharing your printer allows multiple devices to print without requiring each device to have a direct connection to the printer.

Preparing Your Mac for Printer Sharing

Before sharing your printer, ensure your Mac is properly configured and the printer is correctly installed.

Ensuring Printer Compatibility and Installation

  • Printer Compatibility: Verify that your printer is compatible with macOS. Check the manufacturer's website for macOS drivers if needed.
  • Printer Installation: The printer needs to be physically connected to your Mac (via USB or Wi-Fi) and properly installed. Add it to your Mac using System Preferences.
    1. Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
    2. Click the "+" button to add a printer.
    3. Select your printer from the list of available printers or click "Add Printer or Scanner…" to search for it.
    4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Network Connectivity

Make sure your Mac and all devices that will access the shared printer are on the same network. This can be either a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. Confirm the network name on all devices.

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Sharing Your Printer Through System Preferences

The primary method for sharing a printer on a Mac involves utilizing the System Preferences.

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Accessing Sharing Preferences

  1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
  2. Select System Preferences.
  3. Click on Sharing.

Enabling Printer Sharing

  1. In the Sharing preferences pane, find Printer Sharing in the left-hand sidebar.
  2. Check the box next to Printer Sharing to enable it. This will activate the printer sharing service on your Mac.

Selecting the Printer to Share

  1. Once Printer Sharing is enabled, a list of available printers connected to your Mac will appear in the "Printers" section on the right side of the Sharing window.
  2. Select the printer you want to share by checking the box next to its name.

User Access Control

You can specify which users are allowed to access the shared printer.

  • All Users: By default, all users on the network can potentially access the shared printer.
  • Specific Users: If you want to restrict access, you can specify allowed users:
    1. In the "Users" section below the printer list, you might see "Everyone" is allowed.
    2. To limit access, click the "+" button to add specific users or groups.
    3. Use the "-" button to remove users.
    4. Choose "Only these users" option.

Connecting to the Shared Printer from Other Devices

Other computers (Mac or Windows) on the network can now connect to the shared printer. The following steps outline the process for both operating systems.

Connecting from Another Mac

  1. On the other Mac, go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
  2. Click the "+" button to add a printer.
  3. You should see the shared printer listed under the "Nearby Printers" section.
  4. Select the shared printer. If prompted, the correct driver for the printer may be automatically installed.
  5. Click "Add" to add the shared printer to your list of printers.

Connecting from a Windows PC

Connecting from a Windows PC requires Bonjour Print Services for Windows to be installed.

  • Installing Bonjour Print Services:
    1. Download Bonjour Print Services for Windows from Apple's support website (search "Bonjour Print Services for Windows").
    2. Install the downloaded file by following the on-screen instructions.
  • Adding the Shared Printer:
    1. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
    2. Click "Add a printer".
    3. Select "Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer".
    4. The shared printer should appear in the list of available printers. Select it and click "Next".
    5. If prompted for a driver, you may need to select the correct printer model from a list or browse to a driver file you’ve downloaded. Follow the on-screen prompts.
    6. Complete the wizard.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Printer Not Appearing: Ensure both the Mac sharing the printer and the device trying to connect are on the same network and that Printer Sharing is enabled on the Mac.
  • Driver Issues: If prompted for a driver on a Windows PC, ensure you have the correct driver for your printer model. Download it from the printer manufacturer's website.
  • Firewall: Check the firewall settings on the Mac sharing the printer. Ensure that Printer Sharing is allowed through the firewall.
  • Network Discovery: Confirm network discovery is enabled on the Windows PC. This allows the PC to see devices on the network.

Video: Share Your Printer On Mac: The Easiest Method Ever!

How to Share a Printer on a Network with a Mac

Sharing Your Printer on Mac: FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you easily share your printer on your Mac network.

What if I don't see my printer listed in System Settings > Printers & Scanners?

First, ensure your printer is properly connected to your Mac via USB or Wi-Fi and that it is turned on. Then, make sure you have the latest drivers installed for your printer. If it's still not showing up, try restarting your Mac and the printer. Sometimes a simple reboot resolves the issue.

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How do I know if the other computers on my network can see the shared printer?

On the other computers, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners and click the "+" button to add a printer. If your Mac is sharing the printer correctly, it should appear in the list of available printers. You can then select it and add it to their list. This is how to share printer on mac with other macs.

Can I share a printer connected to my Mac with Windows computers too?

Yes, you can. You'll need to enable SMB sharing on your Mac. Go to System Settings > General > Sharing and enable "File Sharing". Then, configure options to allow Windows computers to access your shared printer on mac by creating specific users and setting their file-sharing permissions accordingly.

What if my shared printer is printing slowly for other users?

Printer speed over a network depends on network traffic and the complexity of the print job. Ensure your network is stable and consider using a wired connection for the Mac sharing the printer for better performance. Also, large, high-resolution print jobs will naturally take longer.

So, there you have it! Now you know how to share printer on mac like a pro. Go ahead and get those documents printing – no more printer hogging, okay?